On the Line

This video is causing quite a stir – it shows Swedish Olympian Patrik Kittel warming up his 10-year-old stallion Watermill Scandic before an FEI World Cup Dressage qualifier in Denmark. The video shows him riding in hyperflexion, which I hesitate to call a “method” of training. I am not a dressage trainer and have not spent extension time studying hyperflexion (also called rolkur), but I have spent enough time studying horses to notice that this stallion’s nose is pinned down against his chest for entirely too long to be comfortable. The stallion’s bluish-colored tongue hanging out of his mouth is a gross side effect– and is Kittel leaning forward and stuffing Scandic’s tongue back into his mouth at about 1:15??? Ew.

(if you don’t have flash you can see the video here)

If anyone would like to explain to me the supposed benefit of hyperflexion, I’d be very interested to hear it. In theory dressage is about relaxation, suppleness and partnership – but this doesn’t seem to be anything close to that happening here.

Epona.tv, which shot the video, alleged that Kittel rode Scandic in hyperflexion for almost two hours. Kittel was quoted as saying that his walk breaks were edited out and the clip was taken out of context. But five minutes of watching this horse piaffe and trot around like that makes the top of my neck hurt. I can only imagine how Scandic felt. The FEI has opened an investigation to determine if horse abuse did occur.

How have I possibly managed to let twelve days pass without blogging?? Well it’s been a delicate balance lately between doing what I love to do (riding) and doing what I have to do (office job) – to be able to do what I love to do. Sigh. Add to that a Sidelines deadline that snuck up on me and a few freelance assignments. . . . !

My name is Erin Gilmore and I am a workaholic.

It’s also that time of year when I let my horse down and debate the appeal of doing one last show with my lack of desire to bodyclip my horse. His winter coat already grown in reminds me that my least favorite season is right around the corner.

All the work and winter weather can only mean one thing: it’s time to start planning my yearly Florida trip! There’s nothing I love more than heading to Wellington just when the rest of the country is going gray and icy. Now I’ve just got to get busy lining up interviews for FL-based article subjects. . .

Yesterday this trainer had the day off, due to a scary (by California standards) winter storm. And today was the first official day of winter riding with everyone sharing one big indoor ring (my barn is based at a large facility shared by nine trainers.) Every trainer’s standard of ‘safe’ varies just a little, but that’s one more reason I look forward to the day when we’re all ‘certified’ at this. It wasn’t so many years ago that I remember my old trainer packing lessons together during the winter in a tiny indoor ring, under lights, at night, with the rain coming down in sheets. Canceling just never occurred to her (or us.) But it was trainer intimidation and fear (and a lack of hooves-free space to land if we fell) that motivated us to stick on our horses. That wasn’t any good way to learn.

So perhaps it’s a good thing that my barn doesn’t choose to subject our clients to riding in the thick of a rainstorm. I’m not a fair weather rider by any means, but when it comes to teaching the amateur who can’t hold a steady outside rein and keep their heels down on a sunny day. . . . attempting such during wind gusts of 60mph and sideways rain can do much more harm than good.

As we inch towards a method of separating the cream from the rest of the teaching crop, I hope one of the side effects is a higher standard of safe. And one day the pack ‘em in, nose to tail lessons will fade away. . .

George Morris doesn’t mince words, and we all respect the man because of it. Among his many talents, the GM (yes that means Grand Master) of U.S. hunter/jumpers is one of the most quotable guys, um, ever. He levels his clinic participants on a regular basis with his remarks. My personal favorite: “Are you yawning? You don’t ride well enough to yawn. Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum, she can yawn. You, not so much.”

Ha. Good one George. I will not be yawning in your presence.

Why am I bringing up the GM? Because he also said something great on the subject of the USHJA’s new Trainer Certification Program. “If I take the test, everyone can take the test” Who can argue with that? The USHJA is trying to create a system that will eventually require all us trainers to be certified. Yes, it’s voluntary right now, but I see where they’re heading down the road, and I like it. As a person who was influenced by a childhood trainer totally inept in the ways of instruction and horsemanship (sadly I wasn’t aware of this at age 11), I’m a big fan of this program.

Such a big fan that I WILL be getting myself certified in 2010. I will also be chronicling said certification process right here, for all to see, read and (hopefully) become inspired enough to get certified themselves. To kick off this process let me plug my “Nuts & Bolts” article about the TCP process, coming soon to the November issue of Sidelines. Look out for it, and if you’re a trainer, join me in making George proud!

I was contacted last week by someone from the arm of Bayer that makes (injectable solution) Legend who wanted to tell me about a contest (called, yes, “Enjoy the Ride”) they’re sponsoring with Ashlee Bond. The winner gets a trip for two to the WEG next year in Kentucky, and some autographed swag from Ashlee. Hopefully they’ll also get to see Ashlee compete at the 2010 WEG. . . .

Details for the contest are here, but it seems to be a pretty straightforward writing contest; all you have to do is describe in 150 words or less what your horse means to you. I think the hardest part of that will be fitting that subject into just 150 words – which is 33 words less than this post! Good luck!